Notre Dame research funding reaches record-breaking levels

Awards nearly double from just over 10 years ago

The University of Notre Dame has received $138.1 million in research funding for fiscal year 2017, surpassing the previous record of $133.7 million set in fiscal year 2015. Additionally, the University also broke its all-time monthly record, receiving $27.6 million in June alone.

“Our scholarly, robust faculty can take pride in this milestone,” said Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., the University’s president. “It advances Notre Dame’s reputation as a national research university, and it represents a welcome infusion of spending in South Bend. Congratulations to Robert Bernhard, our vice president for research, and most of all to our talented and hardworking faculty for an achievement that is all the more remarkable in a time of government retrenchment.”

Approximately 57.8 percent of the research awards came from federal funding, while 26.9 percent came from foundations or other sponsors, and 15.3 percent came from industry.

Notre Dame’s continued commitment to growing and expanding its research programs is paying off locally as well, with approximately 75 percent of external research funds expended in the local community. For example, the Notre Dame Turbomachinery Laboratory (NDTL), which opened in downtown South Bend’s Ignition Park in 2016, continues to grow and bring benefits to the area. In FY 2017, NDTL brought in nearly $7 million in research awards. Further, it has hired over 40 employees — recruiting technical experts from both the Michiana region as well as internationally — and has plans to continue to grow its staffing levels.

The community theme continues in a number of other large research grants to the University, including a $1.6 million award from the Lilly Endowment to the Department of Theology to study sacred music in the revival of the community and the church, as well as nearly $1 million to the Department of Physics to continue its Quarknet program.

“This year’s success is tied directly to the dedication of our faculty who worked harder than ever in this difficult funding environment to compete for grants," Bernhard said. "In fact, Notre Dame researchers submitted over 1,200 proposals this year, representing a 30 percent increase in proposal value since last year. I look forward to seeing many of these proposals — especially those that continue our important collaborative relationship with the city of South Bend, such as the Wireless Institute’s proposal for a city-scale platform for advanced wireless research — become actively funded research projects.”